Hi everybody. I wanted to start this thread to document the plastic surgery journey that we are about to start on. Frangipani & I both were banded last August and have each lost over 100 pounds. Since we have been traveling the lapband road together and now are about to have PS at the same time (me on June 12 & Frangi on June 13) we thought it would be appropriate to share a thread.

We have both learned so much from those who have gone before us and our hope is that our stories can be of some value to others.

I am having a lower body lift and medial thigh lift. All of my pre-op testing is done and now I'm just nervously waiting for my big day, which is less than two weeks away! I will post clothed before and after pictures for sure and I'll have to think about more revealing pictures later.

Frangi,

Have a great time in Miami! I know the feeling with your friend. I have a single friend who I am very close to also. You may enjoy clubbing now!!

Jody,

Thanks sweetie! I really do wish you could be there, and definitely hope to see you sometime soon. Are you still at the beach? If so, I hope you're having a great time!!!

Well, I am an adventurous and (relatively) fearless person, but for whatever reason, the idea of going "clubbing" makes me very anxious. I want my friend to have a wonderful time and I'm not going to steer her one way or the other, but I'm really hoping I won't have to deal with that one.

My life has been through enough dizzying changes lately, and I think it's time to just sit back be a little staid and boring for a bit until I become comfortable with the reality of the new me. I don't know, am I making any sense here?

Jody,

Thanks sweetie! I really do wish you could be there, and definitely hope to see you sometime soon. Are you still at the beach? If so, I hope you're having a great time!!!

Well, I am an adventurous and (relatively) fearless person, but for whatever reason, the idea of going "clubbing" makes me very anxious. I want my friend to have a wonderful time and I'm not going to steer her one way or the other, but I'm really hoping I won't have to deal with that one.

My life has been through enough dizzying changes lately, and I think it's time to just sit back be a little staid and boring for a bit until I become comfortable with the reality of the new me. I don't know, am I making any sense here?

You are absolutely making sense! My girlfriend is not man crazy but is always keeping her options open of course. She has been divorced for quite awhile. We went to Weight Watchers together and she would strike up conversations with men.:smile: That always made me feel funny. The last thing I need is another man!!:tongue:

I am still at the beach for another 3 days. I just love it here. :thumbup:

Becky and Frangi -

How did you know what size Spanx to buy? I am currently a 16 with no W thank God! I never seem to buy the right size in those things.

Hi Jody,

There should be a size chart on the back of the Spanx package.

BTW, buy your Spanx at Stein Mart where they're something like $9.99. At most other stores you'll pay the regular retail of $20 or so.

Enjoy the rest of your beach vacation -- talk to you soon!

Edited July 23, 200818 yr by Frangipani

Hi ladies :smile2:

Becky, I'm thinking of you in Chicago and hoping you are having an amazing, fun time!!!

Frangi, I have a sensitive question for you, and if you don't want to answer no problem, I understand. You had implants with your lady-lift, right? I seem to remember that you went from a B to a C (but then again, I'm getting up there and I misremember a lot). I "think" you are happy with the way they look (well, at least the pharmacist is happy with the way they look!) but what about the way they feel? Are they firm, stiff, plasticy at all? Do the tops still feel like normal boobs to you? Or can you feel that there are implants in there. I've been very intrigued by Dr. Schulman's pole-padding technique mostly because 1) it's one less foreign body inside and 2) I really want them to look AND feel real, you know? Karey, if you are still there I'm curious about your opinion on this as well.

Thanks and take care of yourselves!!!

P.S. For whatever it's worth I TOTALLY get where you're coming from and I don't think you are staid or boring at all.

Cori: I have the silicone implants behind the muscle and I think they feel and look totally natural (and so does DH). The upper part is not too full and looks good. They fit my body, I still don't have a lot of cleavage because mine are rather far apart and I'm not naturally built like that I didn't get really large ones. Does that make sense? I was interested to read of Dr. Schulman's technique and if I would have known about it, I totally would have looked into. I don't think the scar is any worse that other techniques and it is one less foreign body and it is you (therefore natural). It also gets rid of the pesky bra fat (which I had to have lipoed). If I were you and you're inclined that way, I would certainly look into the technique. It really might be worth it. That being said, I really really like the way my breasts turned out.

Frangi: I think its very normal to want to get use to your new body. It really does take time! I finally think I'm getting there. At first, there was a bit of a disconnect. I've talked to others that have experienced the same thing. I know that I really didn't have a good idea of my body naturally. I never realized quite how heavy I had gotten, etc. I think that exercise has really helped me get more in touch with my body. I bet you feel the same. You'll get use to your new shape before you know it!

Thanks for the wonderful response Karey, that is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Glad to hear you (and your husband!) are so pleased with your preocedure. I will definitely research Dr. Schulman's technique for all the reasons listed (including the icky bra fat thing) and I'll go that route if it's possible, yet it's nice to know that if I do need an implant to get good results I don't have to worry about the fake look or feel.

Hope you ladies are all doing great!!!

Cori- Yeah! Sounds like a plan, keep us posted and what you find out!

Hi ladies :mad2:

Frangi, I have a sensitive question for you, and if you don't want to answer no problem, I understand. You had implants with your lady-lift, right? I seem to remember that you went from a B to a C (but then again, I'm getting up there and I misremember a lot). I "think" you are happy with the way they look (well, at least the pharmacist is happy with the way they look!) but what about the way they feel? Are they firm, stiff, plasticy at all? Do the tops still feel like normal boobs to you? Or can you feel that there are implants in there. I've been very intrigued by Dr. Schulman's pole-padding technique mostly because 1) it's one less foreign body inside and 2) I really want them to look AND feel real, you know? Karey, if you are still there I'm curious about your opinion on this as well.

Thanks and take care of yourselves!!!

Hi,

I'm back from Miami one day late because I missed my connection through Puerto Rico. No problem though, the airline put me up in a hotel and fed me dinner and I got to spend a fun day in Puerto Rico and (of course) do a little shopping at Plaza Las Americas!!!!

I had SO MUCH fun in Miami, and once I got out into South Beach night life scene, it took me all of about five seconds start enjoying myself . In fact I enjoyed it so much, that it was my friend who had to drag me home :thumbdown::biggrin:!

I'll keep this short for now, but the Dr. gave me the green light to schedule Round 2, and so I will probably do it in about three weeks. We are talking about doing a fat grafting technique on the backside, which I believe is the same procedure that Dr. Schulman talks about in detail on his thread. I haven't decided for sure yet, but I think I will probably do it. More about that later....

Cori I couldn't have answered your question better than Kari. I love my silicone implants and they feel very natural.

One thing to keep in mind is that the technique that Dr. Schulman describes and an implant are not going to give the same results. Both procedures will offer fabulous results but when you look at photos you will notice that they are distinctly different from one another, and it will be up to you to decide which "look" you like best.

Hope this helps, have a great night!

:redface::smile::crying:

Welcome home Frangi!!! So glad you had such a wonderful time playing and shopping.... and I am not in the least surprised you wore your friend out :thumbdown:

My husband keeps telling/reminding me that I am 43 and I am supposed to have some sag and bag, and that after 2 c-sections my belly is destined to look the way it does. Compared to some folks I have been VERY lucky in the amount of extra skin and sagging boobs I have, but I still am wanting to get the ladies lifted and the belly tightened. So I'm going to. I could benefit from an arm lift and a thigh lift, and when I'm done losing weight I may decide to go that route as well, but for now, just the ladies and the belly.

But, how sad is this.... I don't really KNOW which look I prefer. Dr. Schulman has great results with the photos he's posted with the solar pole padding and that DOES look natural, be you 30 or 60. Yet the silicone implants look fantastic and young and perky and perfect. Ah well, I still need to lose about 30 pounds and then I'll decide.

I really, truly appreciate the insight and advise you've all offered. It has made a world of difference and shown me that PS is a viable abnd reasonable option.

Hey Frangi, can't wait to hear the details of Round 2!!!

Hi,

Well I have a date for Round 2 -- August 26!!!

I haven't decided whether or not to do the new fat grafting technique on the backside using my own tissue, but will decide that later and provide more detail if anyone is interested.

Welcome home Frangi!!! So glad you had such a wonderful time playing and shopping.... and I am not in the least surprised you wore your friend out :thumbup:

My husband keeps telling/reminding me that I am 43 and I am supposed to have some sag and bag, and that after 2 c-sections my belly is destined to look the way it does. Compared to some folks I have been VERY lucky in the amount of extra skin and sagging boobs I have, but I still am wanting to get the ladies lifted and the belly tightened. So I'm going to. I could benefit from an arm lift and a thigh lift, and when I'm done losing weight I may decide to go that route as well, but for now, just the ladies and the belly.

But, how sad is this.... I don't really KNOW which look I prefer. Dr. Schulman has great results with the photos he's posted with the solar pole padding and that DOES look natural, be you 30 or 60. Yet the silicone implants look fantastic and young and perky and perfect. Ah well, I still need to lose about 30 pounds and then I'll decide.

I really, truly appreciate the insight and advise you've all offered. It has made a world of difference and shown me that PS is a viable abnd reasonable option.

Hey Frangi, can't wait to hear the details of Round 2!!!

Cori,

They say that you should do PS for yourself only and it's really true. Those people close to you love you just the way you are and will of course, not believe that a single thing needs to be changed. However, if something is driving you crazy, by all means you should change it. I can just about guarantee that you will be very happy that you did.

I am so glad that I had my PS done and it is giving me far more satisfaction than I ever dreamed it would. This was truly the best money I have ever spent, and I know that I'll enjoy and appreciate these surgeries for the rest of my life -- truly.....

As far as the breasts, once you choose your Dr. (who will almost certainly offer the same or a similar technique as the one Dr. Schulman uses on the breasts if you are not able to get out to the east coast to use the wonderful Dr. S himself) he or she will be able to help you figure this out.

Once I started looking at photos I pretty quickly decided that an implant was for me -- though I saw many gorgeous breasts that were done without the use of any implant at all.

Becky, I miss you and hope you are having a wonderful time on your trips.

I hope everyone else is having an excellent day!

:biggrin::smile:

Edited July 31, 200818 yr by Frangipani

Welcome Back Frangi! I missed you! Glad you had such a good time!! You must fit in perfectly with the South Beach night life being the Hot Mama you are!!:tongue:

Congratulations on the green light also! :biggrin:

Well I have a date for Round 2 -- August 26!!!

Wow!!!

Congrats

Frangi: Wow, August 26th. I can't believe you are ready to go for round 2. I'm going to be watching all of this very carefully, as the fat graftying technique is what my doctor suggested as well. You know that you can't sit or lie on your back side for 2 weeks, while the little fat cells fight for their lives? I'm just really not sure what to do. I've even thought about flying out to see Dr. S and get his opinion on what this ole body could benefit from. Right now, I'm still trying to recover from my latest surgery and get through the liquid diet! Glad you're back, it's been awfully quite a round here!